Obama wins most exciting Oregon primary in 40 years

Tuesday

May 20, 2008 at 8:55 PM

PORTLAND — Only days after 70,000 people gathered on Portland's waterfront to roar their approval for Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama, the state's voters tonight handed him a resounding victory over Hillary Rodham Clinton in the state's primary election.

It was the most exciting primary this progressive-leaning state has seen in 40 years, and one that drew record participation among Oregon's Democratic voters. A total of 52 convention delegates were at stake in the Oregon primary.

With 25 percent of the expected vote counted tonight, Obama was winning with 60 percent of the vote to Clinton's 39.7 percent.

Both of the contenders had crisscrossed the state in recent weeks, but polling just before the election showed Barack winning across most demographic categories.

An exit poll showed women were evenly divided between Clinton and Obama, but men supported Obama 2-to-1, dooming Clinton's bid in Oregon even without the strong support Obama received in other categories.